Selective travel draft gear



June 28, 1938.

D. F. sPRouL.

SELECTIVE TRAVEL DRAFT GEAR Filed July 19, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 huwJune 2 8, 1938. D; F. sPRoUL vSELECTIVE TRAVEL DRAFT 'GEAR Filedquly 19,19:54' 2 sheets-sheet 2 ari Patented June 28, 1938 y UNITED STATESsiiLEotllvE` TRAVEL DRAFTGEAR v,

Donald` F. Sproul, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Cardwell-WestinghouseCompany, a corporation of Delaware Application Tuly 19, 1934,1S1ial No.736,002

11 Claims.

This invention relates to draft gears, and, more particularly, to thefriction selective travel type of gear. A

One of the objects of the invention is the pro- 5f vision of a new andimproved gear having novel means for permittingthe geargto have agreater travel in one direction than in the other.

rAnother object of the invention is the provision wof a new and improvedselective travel friction 10" draft gear which may be installed in theconventional draft gear pocket on railway cars. A further object oftheinvention is the provision of a new and improved selective travel draftgear together with novel meansy whereby the 15 coupler and yoke may bepositioned forwardly of the conventional position for these memberswithout affecting the position of the cooperating friction members orchanging the position of the draft lugs. n

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a newand'improved draft gear that is simple in construction, efficientin'operati'on, composed of a minimum number of moving parts, that may beused in the conventional draft gear znipocket of railway cars, and whichmay be easily` scription, taken in connection with the accom-.-

3'0panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a portion of the underframe of a car,showingthe' invention in Y position, with parts' in section andpartsbroken away; Y Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line2-2'of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section similar to that shown in Fig. 1 showingthe gear fully compressed during buff; v

4:0` Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 3 but showing the gear fullycompressed under draft;

Fig. 5 isa perspectiveview of one of the triangular wedge blocks; l Fig.6 is a perspective view of the inner casing; 4Mand outer` casing,

It is `desirable that draft gears have a maxi-v .50 mum travel underbuff. But unless proper pro- Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one portionofthe f shorter travel for the gear under draft than under buff.

' The Vpresent invention seeksto accomplish this end withoutv requiringany modification of the conventional gear pocket or any change in the`position of the wedging elements over what is known by the trade as theconventional Cardwell type of friction draft gear.

While the Cardwell gear is selectedr to illustrate one embodiment of theinvention, it is understood that the principle employed is applicable toother types of gears and that the disclosure is by way ,of example only.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference characters I0 and I'Idesignate the conventional center sills of a railway car which areprovided with the conventional buffer lugs I3 and I4, and the draft lugsI5 and I6, as is usual in such constructions. The space between thesills I 0 and I I and between the bufling and draft lugs constitutes theconventional draft gear pocket in which the draft gear I'I is located. v

The draft gear I1 comprises what for convenience of description will betermed the outer or the forward and rear followers comprising thecasings I8 and I9, respectively.

The forward casing I8 is hollow and is open at its rear or inner end.Its forward end is provided with an opening 2| through which aprojection on' the inner casing extends, as will presently appear. Thelrear casing I9 is hollow and opens forwardly for receiving the wedgingmechanism, as will presently appear.

The casing I9 is provided with a partition 22 which constitutes thebottom or abutment wall of the casing. The casing extends rearwardlybeyond the bottom wall, as clearly shown 'in Fig. 2 of the drawings.This extension has a rear wall 23, which is provided with a depression24 for receiving the rear end of the yoke 25. The space between thewalls 22 and 23 may be solid material, but, preferably, it isl cored insuch a manner as to provide a'plurality of open spaces forming a spaceframework, thereby lightening the weight'of the casing, and, at the sametime, properly bracing the same.v

An auxiliary follower comprising an inner casing 26 is slidably mountedwithin the forward portion ofthe forward casing. This casing isrectangular in cross section, and may also be hollow with proper bracingmembers 21 cast integral with its walls. wardly extending reducedprojection or extension 28 which is adapted to extend through theopening 2l when the gear is expanded.v Theinner The casing 26 isprovided with a for- I casing 26 is provided with a rear wall 3l forengaging the wedging mechanism forlimiting the compression of the gear,as will presently appear.

Suitable wedging mechanism is provided between the walls 22 and 3|. Anysuitable mechanism may be employed for this purpose. In the form ofconstruction shown, which is by way of example only, this mechanismcomprises a central.

wedge block 32, end wedge blocks 33 and 34, all of which are providedwith wedging or inclined friction faces and with an axial openingthrough which a tension rod 35 extends. 'I'he tension rod extendsthrough slots 30 and 40 in the center sills, as shown in Fig. 4. Aplurality of wedge blocks 36 triangular in cross-section are adapted toengage the wedge or inclined faces of the wedge members 32, 33 and 34 atthe front and rear thereof, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of thedrawings. Suitable means are provided for yieldingly forcing the Wedgemembers 33 and 34 inwardly along the bolt to resist the movement of thewedge blocks 36 during the compression of the gear.

As shown, a pair of innerspring seats 31 and 36 slidably mounted on therod 35 are employed for this purpose. These seats are provided withVsleeves 39 and 4I (see Fig. 1) which are adapted to engage the outersurface of the blocks 33 andY 34. The sleeves extend through the slots36 and 4) in the center sills. The inner edges of the casings I8 and I9are provided with recesses 42 and 43 for receiving the sleeves when thegear is compressed. The outer endsV of the rod 35 are provided withouter spring seats 44 and 45 and a plurality of helical springs aremounted on the rod between the inner and outer spring seats at each endof said rod, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The wedge blocks 36 are each provided with an inclined face 46 (seeFigs. 4 and 5) facing ,outwardly and with an inclined face 41 facinginwardly. The faces 41 are at a more acute angle to the axis of the gearthan the faces 46 so that a prompt release of the gear after compressionis insured. The inclination of the faces 46 determines to a large degreethe capacity of the gear-the broader the angle, the greater the capactiyof the gear.

If desired, suitable means may be provided for insuring the properpositioning of the wedge blocks 36 when the gear is being assembed. Theinner ends of the upper and lower walls of the casings I8 and I9 areprovided with L-shaped slots 48 and 49 (see Fig. 1) which are turned inreverse direction. The laterally extending por- -tions of these slotsare made wide enough `to accommodate the movement of the casings. Eachof the wedge blocks 36 is provided at one end with a projection or lugwhich is adapted to engage in either the slot 48 or the slot 49.

The slots and projections are so arranged that when the wedge blocks areturned to cause projection 5l to enter the slot and the projection movedalong the slot, the block will be in proper position. For instance, itwill be seen that if the block 36, shown in Fig. 5, be inserted in thecasing i8 in Fig. 7 with the projection 5l engaging the groove 48, thesurface 36 will face outward and the block will be on the right side inFig. 1, but if it be reversed, the projection will enter the slot 49 andthe block will be on the left side of the gear with its wedge face 46facing outwardly. This arrangement not only facilitates assembly, butinsures proper positioning of the wedge blocks 36, since they cannot beassemibled any other way.

.wardly the required distance.

The gear is adapted to be encircled by the yoke 25 which is connected at'its forward end to the coupler butt 52 by means of the key 53 whichextends through openings in the coupler butt 52 and through the ends 54of the coupler yoke, as is common in such constructions. The yoke 25seats in the recess 24, thereby advancing the coupler butt to theposition to give the required clearance between the coupler horn 56A andthe strike plate 55.

In the operation of the device, when it is operating under buff, thecoupler butt 52 will engage the extension 28 of the inner casing, movingthe same rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, until the rear wall of theinner casing seats on the forward portions of the wedge members 32, 33and 34, and forces the same into contact with the wall 22, therebyclosing the gear.

Under draft, the rear casing i9 is pulled forwardly until its forwardedge engages the rear edge of the outer casing i8 for closing the gear.The parts are so constructed that the movement of the inner casing 25for closing the gear is greater than the movement of the casing 23 forclosing the gear under draft.

In practice, the casing 26 is permitted to move 31/2 before the gearcloses, and the casing 23 is permitted to move 2% before closing thegear. The depression 24 positions the coupler butt for- In other words,the gear has a travel of '3l/2 on buff and only 21/2" on pull or draft.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In a railway car having a strike plate and a draft gear pocketbeneath one end thereof and provided with a yoke and coupler buttprovided with a coupler horn, attached to said yoke, the combination ofa pair of hollow follower casings opposite each other, one of saidcasings having an opening in its outer end, a wedge friction systembetween said casings, an inner casing having a reduced portion extendingthrough said opening, said inner casing being between said coupler buttand said systems, and in engagement with said system whereby upon buffsaid butt will extend through said opening for forcing said inner casingagainst said system and on draft said first-named casings will limit thetravel of said gear, and spring means to restore the parts to normalposition after compression.

2. In a draft gear, a follower casing having the interior of its top andbottom walls provided with angular slots arranged in reverse order,duplicate wedge members each having its wedging faces at differentangles, each of said wedge members having a projection on one end forinterchangeably engaging said slots whereby said` slots determine theposition of said wedge members and thereby prevent the improperassembling of said wedge members in said casing.

3. In a draft gear, a follower casing having a top, a bottom and an endwall, said end wall having an opening therethrough for receiving the endof a coupler butt, said top and bottom walls each having a grooveextending lengthwise of the casing from one edge thereof and thenlaterally the lateral extension on the bottom wall being in the oppositedirection from that on the top wall.

4. In a draft gear, a pair of open-ended main follower casings oppositeeach other, one of said casings having slidably mounted therein anauxiliary casing, a plurality of friction elements and wedges betweenthe other of said casings and said auxiliary follower and engaging thesame, the auxiliary follower and Said other follower engaging certain ofsaid friction elements for limiting the compression of the gear from onef end and said main followers engaging for limiting the compression ofsaid gear from the other end.

5. In combination, a pair of center sills, each provided with draft andbuffer lugs, a draft gear between the buffer and draft lugs, said gearcomprising a front and rear hollow casing, each having an end, side andbottom walls, the end wall of said front casing having an openingtherethrough and the end wall of said rear casing having a depressiontherein, an auxiliary follower having a reduced portion extending intosaid opening, a wedging system between said auxiliary and rear casing,said system comprising a rod extending through said sills and betweenthe front and rear casing, a plurality of friction elements on said rod,said elements having inclined wedging faces, a plurality of wedge blocksengaging said faces and said auxiliary and rear follower,

springs on the ends of said rods for resisting the compression of saidsystem, a draft yoke embracing said gear and seated in said depressionand a coupler butt attached to said yoke and engaging said auxiliaryfollower.

6. In a draft gear, a pair of follower means, wedge friction mechanismbetween said follower means, resilient elements for resisting thecompression of said mechanism, said means engaging certain portions ofsaid mechanism for'forming a solid column on compression of the gear forlimiting the travel of the gear in one direction, and

means at one end of said gear cooperating with one of said followermeans at the opposite end of the gear to form a solid column forlimiting the travelof said gear in the other direction, the last namedtravel of the gear being a greater distance than that of the rst named.

7. In a draft gear, a pair of followers spaced apart, friction mechanismbetween and engaging one of said followers, said mechanism being adaptedto go solid for limiting the compression of said gear in one direction,an auxiliary follower on one side of said gear cooperating with one ofsaid followers and engaging said mechanism for limiting the compressionof the gear in the opposite direction, resilient means for resisting therelative movements of the parts of said mechanism and for restoring theparts to normal'position after release.

8. A draft gear comprising front and rear follower means,frictionmechanism between said means for frictionally resisting thecompression of said gears on either pull or buff, said mechanismincluding laterally movable f friction elements, springs for resilientlyresisting the compression of the gear, means including certain of saidfriction elements for limiting the travel of the gear during buff,certain parts of said follower means engaging each other for limitingthe travel of the gear under draft to a distance less than the travelunder buff.

9. In a draft gear for railway cars, a pair of router followers, aninner follower, means including friction mechanism for yieldinglyresisting the compression of said gear, said outer followers engagingeach other for limiting the travel of said gear under draft and saidinner follower cooperating with one of said outer followers and withsaid mechanism to go solid for limiting the travel of said gear underbuff, and coil springs having theirl axes extending at an angle to theaxis of the gear for resiliently resisting the compression of the gearand for returning the parts to normal position after compression.

10. In a draft gear for railway cars, a pair of opposed chamberedfollowers, the forward end of the forward follower having an openingtherethrough and the rear follower having a portion of its rear endoffset forwardly, a draft yoke seating in said offset, an auxiliaryfollower within said forward follower and having a reduced forward endextending forwardly into said opening, relatively movable frictionelements between, and engaging, said auxiliary and rear followers, saidelements comprising thrust wedging means engaged by said auxiliaryfollower, and resilient means for restoring the parts to normal positionafter compression, said chamberedfollowers being adapted to engage eachother for limiting the compression of said gear upon pull to less thanits complete compression, the dimension of said auxiliary followerlongitudinally of said gear being less than that of said front followerwhereby the travel of said gear will be greater when compressed on buffthan when compressed on pull.

11. In a draft gear, a pair of main followers normally spaced apart, anauxiliary follower, engaging one of said main followers when the gear isexpanded, friction mechanism including wedging members between one ofsaid main followers and said auxiliary follower, and in engagement withthe latter and separate therefrom, a draft yoke embracing saidfollowers, a coupler butt engaging said auxiliary follower and movablerearwardly through an opening in the forward follower uponcompression ofsaid gear, said main followers being adapted to be brought intocontactupon compression of the gear upon pull for limiting the compressionthereof to less than its compression on buff, and spring means forreturning the parts to normal position after release.

DONALD F. SPROUL.

